KUALA LUMPUR: Former Langkawi Umno member Anina Saadudin has asked Khairy Jamaluddin if he knows how many of his party’s three million members are still “spiritually with Umno”.

She said the Umno leaders should know by now whether the members still had faith in them.

“Khairy should focus on bringing back the Umno spirit instead of worrying about us (PPBM) or how many support us.

“There are many members at the (Umno general) assembly but do they still have faith in Umno? If not, they should ask themselves, why not?”

The PPBM Wanita chief said Khairy should work to restore faith in the party instead of waging a political war on PPBM, unless Umno viewed the new party as a big threat.

“He should be asking why they are facing this (problem). Why are many Umno members wondering if they should stay with the party?” she told FMT when asked to comment on Khairy’s address to Umno delegates.

Anina had said PPBM would not only be contesting for seats in hardcore pro-Umno rural areas but “in all areas that Umno will be contesting”.

“Wherever they are contesting, we will be there.”

She also told FMT she had started wearing the hijab (head cover) yesterday.

Anina clarified the decision had nothing to do with the opinions of people.

“I respect the people’s opinions because I know they love me. But today, I’m wearing the hijab not because anyone forced me to. My heart told me to do it because I was ready for a new phase of my life.”

Khairy, who is Umno Youth chief, had during a speech at the Umno general assembly today said that because Umno and PPBM would be campaigning for the same pool of supporters, divided loyalty was a cause for concern.

He sent a clear message to the delegates that a line was drawn when a member left the party and there was no room in Umno for those who secretly sympathised with PPBM.

Khairy, who is the Rembau MP, also cautioned against underestimating PPBM.

He also said there were stories circulating about the PPBM leadership ordering its supporters within Umno to keep their allegiance under wraps so that they could “ambush” Umno at the next general election.

Anina was sacked from Umno in September last year after she filed a civil suit against Prime Minister Najib Razak, who is the Umno president, and key party leaders over an alleged RM2.6 billion transfer to Najib’s private accounts. – FMT